Module Summary

This module outlines the basic tenets of humanism. It will demonstrate the close connection between humanism and person centred care and its implications for the understanding of others.

Key areas covered

• A history of humanism
• Theories of humanism
• Key definitions of humanism
• How the key attribute of story-telling is implicit within humanism
• Evaluation of humanism

Learning outcomes

Successful completion of the module will lead to:

• An understanding of the role of humanism development in the evolution of the discipline of professions and practice
• The importance of humanistic theories (theories of humanism) in the delivery of outcomes for people, professionals and organisations.
• An understanding of the concept of humanism
• A knowledge base that exercises levels of humanistic care within professional practice
• Applying principles in planning, designing, implementing and evaluating humanistic care

Importance of module to healthcare delivery

Humanism in health care improves health outcomes and enhances patients to adhere to professional advice and treatment options. Teaching humanism in healthcare education is a necessity to help students to conduct their professional lives in a more humanistic manner. This module teaches the main tenets of humanism in order to introduce students to the concept of humanism and help them to begin identifying its relevance to the delivery of healthcare.

Importance of module to individual healthcare professionals

Humanism in health care reminds us that illness, recovery, as well as dying are an integral part of the whole human experience. Every person in the health system – health professional or patient – is first a human being which means a great responsibility to develop appropriate understandings of the human experience that go beyond the standard professional knowledge. Empowering health professionals to develop the skills that enable humanistic care towards patients, colleagues, and themselves is key.